Revealing the Pain of the Women as the
Sufferers of Contemporary Society with Special Reference to Shashi Deshpande’s Roots and Shadows and Ama Ata Aidoo’s No Sweetness Here
Shweta
Gaurav
PhD
Research Scholar
Department of English
Dr. Shyama
Prasad Mukherjee University
Ranchi, Jharkhand, India
Abstract:
In practically every society and culture,
there is patriarchal dominance and feminine submissiveness. The Indian female
novelist Shashi Deshpande delves into minute details in her book Roots and
Shadows to depict various forms of physical, psychological, and ideological
oppression that are brought about by patriarchy. Conversely, Ghanaian writer
Ama Ata Aidoo's work No Sweetness Here delineates the types of gender violence
that are purposefully committed by husbands or male partners—individuals who
are identified as intimate associates in the work. A significant number of
female characters in English literature are submissive, mute, and meek because
of patriarchy. Additionally, this was conveyed by both writers in their works.
In her book Roots and Shadows, Deshpande presents Indu, a powerful female
character who pays attention to her inner conscience and celebrates female
independence and feminine identity. This is how she celebrates women's freedom.
She illustrates women's frustration in married relationships as well as
patriarchal authority. Aidoo's literary work, No Sweetness Here, presents
captivating portrayals of the multifaceted ways in which characters especially
female are portrayed as victims of gender violence within contexts where such
violence is common. The study found that the main characters of Roots and
Shadows and No Sweetness Here, Indu and Maami Ama, experienced a variety of
gender-based violence, including discrimination in their married home and
emotional, economic, marital, and social contexts. It also showed how difficult
it is for women to find authentic identities and a place in their families,
communities, and cultures. The goal of this research is to expose the true
nature of patriarchy, which permeates society in a variety of ways and confines
women by rejecting their inherent power and uniqueness.
Keywords: Culture, Discrimination,
Gender-based violence, Patriarchy, Society
Introduction:
Due to the strong patriarchal and traditional
nature of the culture, the situation of women in the majority of married houses
has been the subject of significant criticism. Deshpande's Roots and Shadows portrays Indu as a girl who loves freedom but
gradually gives up on her independence and becomes a submissive wife. The work No Sweetness Here by Ama Ata Aidoo
focuses more on gender-based violence, but Deshpande does a good job of
capturing the subjugation that women face, including the the husband-wife complex
of superiority and inferiority, social double standard, the privilege of the
son ,female submissiveness, attempts at emancipation, the neglect of the
daughter, etc. As a type of violence, it is described as reflecting the current
imbalance of power between men and women, which upholds the devaluation and
subordination of women in comparison to men. This violence takes place within
the context of the patriarchal framework, a symbolic system that gives rise to
a variety of everyday acts that deny women their rights and uphold the existing
discrimination and inequality between the sexes. This kind of violence differs
from ordinary aggression and coercion because, in this case, the source of
vulnerability or risk factor is just being a woman. Certain types of
gender-based violence thrive in societies where men are the majority.
Women have historically been seen to adhere
to century-old family traditions in which they regularly take on a subordinate
or passive position to their male counterparts. Because men have always
believed themselves to be of a higher status than women, they have shaped
everything to suit their preferences. They have built a universe in which women
are their subjects and they are in charge as lords. Because certain groups or
sectors dominate others, many forms of violence have emerged throughout
communities. As a result, as civilization developed, women began to speak out
against male domination and to recognize their own identities and human rights.
They expressed their disapproval in a variety of ways, such as by producing
original writings.
Through their work, women authors began to
share firsthand accounts of unfair societal practices and the oppression of
women. Ghanaian and Indian traditional societies continue to condone and even encourage
the subjugation of women. Religious teachings, social norms, human rules of
conduct, the legal system, and even familial relationships all contain it.
Women suffer because they are ensnared in a network of mechanisms that keep
them from breaking the rules in general. Patriarchy and customary laws imposed
by society's customs progressively undermine women's innocent existence.
Through their literature, many female authors first voice their resistance to
patriarchy and unfair societal ideologies. In her book Roots and Shadows, Indian author Deshpande depicts the social
reality of India for women. Similarly, The account in No Sweetness Here of the gender-based abuse Maami Ama endured As a
feminist writer, Ama Ata Aidoo is deeply concerned about this.
Depiction of Women as the Sufferers of
Contemporary Society with Special Reference to Shashi Deshpande’s Roots and Shadows and Ama Ata Aidoo’s No Sweetness Here:
Deshpande represents the real image of Indian
women, showing how similar their circumstances are regardless of class, caste,
occupation, or level of education. The laws and norms of society dictate that
women are inferior to males in every way. Woolf poses an important query by
pointing out this unfair treatment of one sex and asking, "Why was one sex
so prosperous and the other so poor?"(Woolf 34). This psychological strain
on men is partially the result of our man-made society's backbiting, snubbing,
and word-pinching.
In Indian culture, women are supposed to
support their husbands' accomplishments but, in terms of their own identity,
they continue to be their husbands' property. Indu wants to enjoy her family
life with mutual respect and understanding, but she learns that in a married
life, this is not feasible. Every day, matriarchal submission to authority and
patriarchal supremacy envelop Indu. She can identify with the viewpoint that
she was once in control and is now attempting to control people instead of
making their lives simpler. When women acquire the chance to hold positions of
authority in later life, they attempt to impose whatever they endured in their
previous lives. In a tradition-bound society, things work like this. Obstacles
for women exist in the domains of education, work, marriage, personal identity,
freedom, and communication. They are rarely afforded a place, privacy, or
steady income to allow them to explore who they are. In this superstitious,
patriarchal society, it is difficult for them to express their needs and
wishes. In the homes of their fathers and subsequently, in the families of
their husbands, women are oppressed and viewed as possessions.
Since the beginning of human history, women
have been subjected to oppression and dominance, and the majority of them never
speak out against these practices. Women must constantly meet several
requirements to thrive in our culture. For ages, women have put up with
everything, accepting disgusting dominance as their fate. Nevertheless,
throughout time, their consciousness has grown. Women acquire the capacity to
overcome all sorts of oppression. The traditional society with its norms, laws,
and practices is to blame for the difficulties husband and wife has adjusting.
Males should be superior, according to society, and they should also be males,
among other things. Whenever a man thinks about a woman, he has to picture an
extremely pure, chaste, angelic woman who is superior to him in status and full
of good traits.
Although a number of book critics believe
that Indu's connection with Naren is illegal, Indu feels liberated from society's
double standards. She admits it to be her courageous protest against
patriarchy, which controls a woman's body and soul constantly. Indu states that
"I had committed no crime"(Deshpande 169) , "I don't need to
erase anything I have done," and "in a fit of bravado"
(Deshpande 168). Men always wear a chastity belt to defend the behavior of
women, yet everything is justified in their situation. Social injustice and
this so-called pseudo-doctrine are opposed by Indu.
Women in Indian society learn that the family
and society at large are the source of the problem and that internal change is
necessary rather than using force or a lot of effort to make things better.
Likewise, Indu comprehends that she fully submitted herself to Jayant. She
nearly loses herself because of her overwhelming passion and love for Jayant.
Even though she was educated, her husband assumed that his wife would be
docile, modest, and subservient like other women in society. In an attempt to
maintain harmony in her married life, she begins acting like other women. Her
husband's happiness becomes her primary priority:
“When I look in the mirror, I think of Jayant. When I dress, I think of
Jayant. When I undress, I think of him. Always what he wants. What he would
like. What would please him.” (Deshpande 54). Yet, she finds it impossible to
picture her life being fulfilled without Jayant, her spouse. Though she is
unable to overcome it, Indu begins to despise herself for her overindulgent
caring and docile attitude toward her spouse.
So, in addition to patriarchal rule and
social ideology, love also forces women to continue being subservient. Indian
women, after all, place a high importance on familial ties, which is why they
find it difficult to sever any ties when protesting against injustice and
violence. Though they eventually go back to their partners in the hopes of a
happy family life and a fresh start, Indu becomes sexually, psychologically,
and physically vulnerable. Today's women are breaking free from the confines of
their families and creating their own identities. They fall prey to an
inferiority complex and social superiority here as well. Maintaining a healthy
balance between work and home life prevents women from truly achieving
liberation and robs them of a contented and serene existence.
In the same vein, Indu picks up these traits
from her family by being a girl in her society and growing up quiet, collected,
and obedient. She rebels against her caste and marries Jayant, a guy from a
different caste, in an attempt to gain her independence. Even though caste is
deeply ingrained in Indian society, Indu exhibits bravery by defying this
century-old custom. To escape living like a bird in a cage, Indu rebels against
her traditional family. She has a simple fantasy of liberty, but as Indu
discovers later, women's lives are always enmeshed in a web of bonds, so she
will never truly be free. She learns that women's independence is only a pipe
dream when she must give herself over to Jayant out of love. Because her female
characters are forced to surrender to their male equivalents, which dishonors
their self-respect, Deshpande depicts their emotional and physical discontent.
The Ghanaian traditional marriage setting in
Ama Ata Aidoo's No Sweetness Here serves as a reflection of society because
literature portrays human life through characters' words and deeds that convey
messages for instruction, amusement, correction, and information. This means
that when we talk about the work, we are talking about popular culture. Due to
the fact that literature is a reflection of life, characters in the story would
exhibit unfair instances of gender-based violence. Women and girls make up the
majority of victims, even if some Ghanaian communities are formed and modified
to conform to the expectations of a patriarchal society. Gender violence
against women and girls is a chronic type of discrimination against them, since
it is a pervasive and systematic violation of fundamental human rights. It
impacts most women and girls, irrespective of age or financial status, and it
occurs in all countries—rich and poor, stable and unstable.
Women are weak everywhere in the world and
are more likely to experience emotional and psychological stress as a result of
intimidation, harassment, threats, degrading treatment, and exploitation. This
severe manifestation of male dominance and control over women can start early
in life and continue into adulthood in a variety of relationships, including
those as a daughter, sister, spouse, mother, and intimate partner. Every day,
there are incidents of all types of violence against women and girls in homes,
families, communities, and institutions.
No
Sweetness Here is a
prime example of patriarchal institutions in action, as marriage demands that
wives submit to and obey their husbands. To fully express womanhood, every
woman is pushed to get married and have children rather than only have one, as
marriage in patriarchal countries is predicated on the transfer of a woman's
fertility to her husband's family.
Ama Ata Aidoo, one of the greatest Ghanaian
feminist writers, No Sweetness Here
looks into the matter of whether married women experience any kind of
gender-based violence in their homes. When we discuss gender violence, which is
often referred to as gender-based violence or gendered violence in the home, we
should note that it can affect persons of any gender. Thus, it is believed that
violence against women is a violation of their emotional and/or physical health
that can take many different forms.
In No
Sweetness Here by Ama Ata Aidoo, The first wife of Kodjo Fi, Maami Ama, is
depicted as a victim of multiple forms of gender-based violence. The situation
of Maami Ama is representative of the struggle of many African women who suffer
from gendered violence, including economic, emotional, or psychological abuse,
betrayal, and despicable cultural customs. Women's experiences with gender
abuse are the subject of repressed emotions, which are released through the
words written by Ama Ata Aidoo. The narrative illustrates the unfairness and
limitations of women. Every character in the short narrative denigrates Maami
Ama, except "Chicha." Maamai Ama is downplayed by her in-laws,
co-wives, and husband throughout the narrative. In the following, she conveys
her emotional suffering: “Yes, l am,” she went on. l should. What am l going on
like this for? What is a man struggling after? Seven years is a long time to
bear ill-usage from a man coupled with his wives. What have I done to deserve
the abuse of his sisters? And his mother!” (Aidoo, 71). This shows the constant
harassment and vilification that come her way, even though it is unwarranted.
In addition to these, Maami Ama once told her
mother about the abuse she was receiving from her husband, and her mother
complied., “In marriage, a woman must sometimes be a fool.” (Aidoo, 72) These
incidents highlight the psychological and emotional abuse that a woman must
endure in her role as a wife. Men may view psychological violence as a less
serious kind of domestic violence or as nonviolence altogether because it does
not physically harm the victim. However, this has some detrimental effects on
the victims. Since psychological abuse can have potentially harmful
psychosocial implications, it is viewed as the most obvious and troublesome type
of domestic abuse in the lives of women. The oppressive features of the
patriarchal system and gender-based violence that prevent women from fully
realizing who they are are highlighted by Ama Ata Aidoo.
One can see from the text that her mother
asked her daughter to put up with the abuse rather than speak out against it.
Some Ghanaian women experience verbal abuse in their married homes, which is
another type of gender-based violence. The verbal language that is deflationary
and condemnatory—including insults and curses—is used to express this type of
gender abuse. To be insulted is not fun for anyone, and this kind of aggression
makes no one feel safe. The passage from the book that follows exemplifies this
abuse: “Seven years is a long time to bear ill-usage from a coupled with
contempt and insults from his wives. What have l done to deserve the abuse of
his sisters? And his mother!” (Aidoo, 71)
Through No
Sweetness Here, Aidoo addresses the heavy weight of the many social
obligations that are consistently placed on some Ghanaian women in their
married families. Women who experience this type of violence against them are
deprived of their most fundamental liberties and rights, such as the ability to
freely express their opinions, to be treated equally and fairly before the law,
and the ability to marry or not.
Maami Ama is portrayed as a victim of
financial hardship to symbolize the treatment that certain women endure in
their married homes. Maami Ama would not be able to support herself financially
if Kodjo Fi hadn't taken this action. It might be quite tough for a woman to
leave a marriage if she is financially dependent on her partner. If she has
some financial independence and the social support of her family, she might be
able to do so, but for a woman who doesn't have either of those things, leaving
a marriage can be extremely difficult, if not impossible. In summary, women's
ability to express autonomy both inside and outside of marriage is limited in
these and other circumstances due to the importance of the roles of wife and
mother. Instead of staying at home with her kids, a kind and selfless woman
works hard to support the family.
Conclusion:
The female
heroines in Deshpande's works strive for equality and independence with their
male spouses, but they eventually come to understand that most problems
originate in the human brain. Eradicating prejudice from society overnight is a
difficult task. Even though Indu is a confident person in the story Roots and Shadow, her fury cannot keep
her from submitting to patriarchy. Because Deshpande's characters can recognize
their enslavement, they differ from other women who are unable to even
acknowledge that they are under duress. They strive to overcome all obstacles
because they are conscious of their internal anguish.
On the other hand, Ama Ata Aidoo emphasizes
the effects of non-physical gender violence on a married woman's wellness in a
traditional Ghanaian marriage setting in her narrative No Sweetness Here. In addition to her husband, Maami Ama, the
protagonist of the fictitious novel, also experiences gender-based violence
from her mother-in-law, co-wives, and sisters-in-law. Motherhood in particular
and female in general, are celebrated by Ama Ata Aidoo. She accomplishes this
by emphasizing women's resilience, fortitude, and ability to live despite the
harsh socio cultural norms of their country. Ama Ata Aiddo encourages both
sexes to highlight the need for social harmony between men and women to
preserve social balance, in addition to issues of gender-based violence.
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